Ireland Music Week is calling on Irish artists to apply to play at this year’s festival. It will take place across five days in October, with the music showcases taking place on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th.

Log onto https://www.irelandmusicweek.com and click on the “APPLY TO PLAY” button – applications will be through the artists’ Breaking Tunes profile. Closing date for applications is June 16th.

50 acts will have the chance to play and take part in this internationally-recognised event which runs in a variety of venues across Dublin showcasing Ireland’s best emerging talent.

For artists of all levels, the conference at the festival will give them a chance to learn and develop their craft and create new opportunities with agents, labels, bookers, music supervisors and services from all over the world. IMW has planned a number of new approaches to the conference that will make sure attendees can get the most out of the event no matter what stage of your professional development you are at.

This year, additions to this core programming will include dedicated B 2 B conference elements to facilitate the needs of the newly formed FMC-founded AIM Ireland, along with other offerings from new strategic partners introducing new audiences for Irish music around Europe as well as more networking and masterclasses to be announced closer to the dates.

First Music Contact, who run Ireland Music Week work with Irish acts from the very beginning of their careers. This annual showcase is an opportunity to offer Irish acts some vital exposure provided by the stellar mix of influential Irish and international delegates who attend including avenues for agent, label, management deals and more.

“Ireland Music Week is a key moment in the talent pipeline for the best emerging artists in our country and plays a key strategic role in how we are helping develop Irish artists and Irish music to become world beaters” says Angela Dorgan, CEO of First Music Contact. “We would encourage artists who feel they are ready for international development to apply for Ireland Music Week, so we can start this story with them “

plus many more to be announced across 16 stages of music, theatre, spoken word and comedy

The wait is over! Following the announcement of our critically acclaimed headliners THE NATIONAL, and FONTAINES D.C. for their only Irish festival this year, we are super excited to now reveal some more incredible artists who will be joining us this August Bank Holiday weekend for the second chapter of All Together Now.

We are thrilled to welcome the seminal and legendary poet and punk rock artiste PATTI SMITH whose 2018 show with Nick Cave at RHK sold out within minutes and was the concert of 2018. Her debut LP Horses was the beginning of a long musical career that resonates even greater today. The album has achieved many notable recognitions over the years and included on many all-time best album lists. It has been followed by another nine albums of original material, books of poetry and a best-selling memoir, Just Kids; world tours and personal appearances, as well as induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

UK indie-electro kings HOT CHIP will be performing live. The band have released six studio albums with their last album Why Make Sense, hitting the Top 5 in the Irish Album Charts. Not only have the band been nominated for a Mercury Music Prize for their album The Warning but they have also been nominated for a Grammy with their belter of a track Ready For The Floor. Known for their jaw-dropping live sets – the UK electronic quintet are not to be missed!

Josh Tillman is the singular voice of FATHER JOHN MISTY. This man has many strings to his bow, including singer-songwriter, drummer, guitarist and all round witty, satirical lyricist. Most notably, Tillman started out as the drummer with Fleet Foxes and since going solo under the alter ego of Father John Misty has produced his breakout album ‘I Love You, Honeybear’ which received widespread acclaim from critics, followed by his Grammy award winning album ‘Pure Comedy’ and his latest studio album God’s Favourite Customer. His solo work has seen him collaborate with Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

Damon Albarn fronted supergroup THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN, which also includes legends Paul Simonon, Tony Allen and Simon Tong, will take to our stage fresh from the release of their universally acclaimed Merrie Land which was produced by the band alongside Tony Visconti. The Good, The Bad & The Queen began life as the acclaimed 2007 album of the same name, a heartfelt tribute to London described by The Observer in a 5 star review as –“One of the most surprising and magical records for which Damon Albarn has ever been responsible”. The record traced a journey from the English music hall tradition to West Africa and Afrobeat, zigzagging through the West Indies and its reggae and dub, back to England and London’s punk scene, all the while taking in a strand of British beat music from the ’50s right through to Britpop.

Also joining the bill is electronic musician and producer JON HOPKINS LIVE. Following on from an Ivor Novello nomination for Monsters and Mercury nominations for Diamond Mine (with King Creosote) and Immunity, Jon Hopkins fifth album garnered his first ever nomination for the Grammy Awards, joining a strong and inspiring list of records in the Best Dance/Electronic category for 2019.

BAFTA-winning composer ÓLAFUR ARNALDS is known for his unique blend of minimal piano and string compositions with electronic sounds. Ólafur performed a fully sold out show at Dublin’s NCH in 2018 and this is his only Irish festival of 2019.

An artist who helped define an era of protest and pop, notably with her global hit single ‘Buffalo Stance’, and receiving excellent reviews for her recent Four Tet produced album ‘Broken Politics’, we are super pleased to welcome the iconic NENEH CHERRY.

Next up, 24-year-old South Londoner LOYLE CARNER released his debut album ‘Yesterday’s Gone’ showcasing his insight, erudition, and poetic intensity which have earned him the respect of die-hard hip-hop fans, industry insiders and most importantly, his peers. “Loyle Carner is Britain’s most recent new hope in hip hop” – The Fader. This will be his only Irish festival performance this year.

THE WAILERS will bring their legendary and revolutionary sound to Curraghmore Estate, too. Steered by famed bassist and founder Aston “Familyman” Barrett, and joined in solidarity with original Wailers’ guitarist Donald Kinsey, The Wailers continue to create musical history.

Excellent Irish artist LISA HANNIGAN will team up with STARGAZE, a classically trained orchestra of European musicians for her only Irish festival show in 2019. The collaboration sees Hannigan’s sparse, ethereal folk transformed into something cinematic and transfixing. Expect lush re-workings of songs from across her three critically acclaimed albums. Yesterday brought news that Lisa is poised to release a live album on May 10th with s t a r g a z e, led by the revered German conductor Andre de Ridder. Check out the new video for Swan here

We also bring you Icelandic experimental techno duo KIASMOS (Live), who will also be performing at All Together Now for their only Irish festival date this year.

Expect some deep house meets dreamy electronica from GEORGE FITZGERALD (Live), whose record All That Must Be was released to critical acclaim last year. This will be George’s only Irish festival date in 2019.

It gets even better….we’re bringing you the awesome LEFTFIELD (DJ SET) – one of electronic music’s all time greatest acts, the incredible harmonies and melodies of LITTLE GREEN CARS, and the honey voiced, classically inspired JOSE GONZALEZ. Irish band FONTAINES D.C. have been taking the world by storm – and will be at All Together Now for their only Irish festival date this year. Their eagerly awaited debut album ‘Dogrel’ will be out on April 12th – preceded by 4 rapturously recieved AA singles. Then, prepare to be soothed by the cool, smooth, jazz vibes from musician/producer KAMAAL WILLIAMS, who’s joining us for his Irish festival debut.

Also coming to Curraghmore Estate…EROL ALKAN, Phantasy Sound boss, DJ, remixer and one of dance music’s most enduring and influential artists. BEN UFO, one of the most sought-after DJs of this decade and founder of one of the most important labels in UK dance music. Canadian music producer and DJ JAYDA G, whose debut album is coming out on Ninja Tunes this March. The electronica / folk stylings of UK band TUNNG. Choice Music Prize winners SHIPS. Festival favourites KING KONG COMPANY. Dublin-based punk outfit THE MURDER CAPITAL are a rare thing: a band tipped from all corners and word has spread like wildfire about their live shows.

All Together Now will be set across 16 stages, featuring natural amphitheatres, secret woodland stages, the Belonging Bandstand and more. The flow of the festival will mean that the grounds will be easily navigable, intimate but with quirky gems, rolling lawns, gentle hills and hidden forests to enjoy the nature of this 3000 acre site.

Last year we set off on All Together Now’s maiden voyage. Curraghmore Estate’s 3000 acres provided a setting so fruitful and so beautiful, with incredible history. We had the pleasure of creating and curating a festival here – a festival which has boundless possibility as it evolves each year. 2018’s festival carried an inspiring atmosphere, where people were respectful of each other, the incredible landscape and wonderful performers. Setting off on this journey, we endeavoured to embrace the landscape’s beauty, to honour the past but also to collaborate and create a new future. Beautiful feasts of food and bespoke cocktails can be enjoyed within this dramatic and scenic landscape.

We are passionate about creating and promoting sustainability at All Together Now and we are acutely aware of our duty of care to Curraghmore Estate’s stunning grounds. All Together Now festival goers embraced this and we all left the grounds of Curraghmore Estate as we found them. We will be introducing even further measures for 2019, which we will be rolling out in the forthcoming months.A key part of our creative work is to create a festival for families and kids to enjoy, be inspired by, to be safe at and to feel cared for. In doing so we will create an area to fulfill this ethos called Kids Together.

This glorious setting is perfect for its proximity to some of Ireland’s largest cities – just 50 minutes from Cork and 90 minutes from Dublin – with plenty of transport links from all main hubs. This 3-day camping festival will provide you with an incredible setting in which to set up your tent or unpack in our bespoke accommodation options, ready to dive right into the site. Those with families can make their 3 day home in our Family Camping Area, an independent space to retreat to with your little ones. We have taken measures for this forthcoming year to ensure there will be plenty of transport links from all main hubs.

Music, art, friendship and camaraderie are the tenets by which All Together Now will continue to adhere. After a magical sell out first year we return this August with an expanded All Curious Minds area, additional boutique camping options as well as a larger family campsite and Kids Together Now Area. We will continue the festival’s focus on supporting the local arts, with slight growth to a 20,000 capacity festival. 12 miles of stone walls enclose the grounds, and the very nature of the estate will allow you to be right in the midst of the action, or to take time out to relish in the surroundings.

We are indebted to Lord and Lady Waterford for opening the grounds of the Curraghmore Estate to us all – the fabulous landscapes, the drama, the secret spots and hidden gems that all lie in wait for you at All Together Now.

We can’t wait to welcome you like-minded people, music lovers, passionate performers, families, artists, musicians, creators, rebels, and refugees of a changing festival landscape back to Curraghmore this August Bank Holiday Weekend.

Stay tuned for more details and announcements over the course of the next weeks and months as we prepare for All Together Now, the second chapter.

IMPORTANT TICKET INFORMATION

GENERAL WEEKEND TICKETS:

Tickets are ON SALE NOW priced at €208.50

Very limited tickets remain.

Please note, there will be NO DAY TICKETS for All Together Now 2019.

FAMILY WEEKEND TICKETS:

EXTREMELY LIMITED Family Weekend tickets remain. We expect these to sell out in the coming days.

Votes are limited to one per person per day. Only votes cast in the Republic of Ireland will be counted. Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 3rd March.

As part of RTÉ’s continued commitment to promoting Irish music, RTÉ 2FM celebrates the announcement of the shortlist across its schedule throughout the day with another All Irish Music All Day from 6am to midnight.

The winning song and album will be announced at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize live event, held inVicar Street, Dublin onThursday 7thMarch and broadcast live on RTÉ 2FM in a special four-hour extended show from 7-11pm. A special television programme of the event will be broadcast shortly afterwards on RTÉ2.

The 14th annual RTÉ Choice Music Prize will once again celebrate the best in Irish recorded music. The Prize has become one of the music industry highlights of the year since its inception in 2005. The Irish Album of the Year award is chosen from a shortlist of ten albums by a panel of twelve Irish music media professionals and industry experts.

RAAP, Culture Ireland and The BAI are also official project partners of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize.

Culture Ireland will fund the attendance of influential overseas Industry executives to attend the RTE Choice Music Prize Live Event on March 7th. First Music Contact (FMC), as part of their international profiling activity, will again advise on the selection of overseas delegates and oversee their integration into the individual mentoring sessions with the artists and the conference.

RTÉ Choice Music Prize “Conversations” will return and take place on the 7th.

Tickets for the Choice Music Prize live event are on sale now from all Ticketmaster outlets and from http://www.ticketmaster.ie priced €28.00 including booking fee.

As one of the world’s most renowned and imaginative interpreters of Irish folk music, Dervish have devoted the last three decades to gently reinventing the traditional songs of their homeland. On their debut release for Rounder Records, the Sligo-based band join up with over a dozen luminaries across an eclectic range of genres.

Featuring guests Steve Earle, Rhiannon Giddens, Vince Gill, Brendan Gleeson, Jamey Johnson, Kate Rusby, The SteelDrivers, Abigail Washburn, and others, The Great Irish Songbook both preserves the spirit of each song and brings a new vitality to iconic traditional songs of their homeland.

Throughout The Great Irish Songbook, Dervish build off the dynamic they’ve brought to their 13 previous albums and dazzling live performance: a kinetic union of technical brilliance and undeniable soul, endlessly fortified by their immense creativity. With the help of their guest artists, Dervish’s intricately sculpted sound expands and widens and takes on new textures, revealing the limitless possibilities within a single song. The result is an album that instantly transports you to a more charmed state of mind and-like all the most illuminating journeys-imparts a deeper understanding of what’s most essential in life.

Produced by Graham Henderson (a musician known for his work with artists like Sinéad O’Connor), The Great Irish Songbook delivers some of the best-loved songs in the Irish tradition. In assembling their lineup of featured guests, Dervish reached out to the many artists with whom they’ve bonded over a shared passion for Irish folk, then called on each musician to select their most cherished song within the genre. Recorded mainly at The Magic Room in Sligo, the finished product finds each collaborator imbuing the album with their own distinct sensibilities while lovingly upholding the time-honored character of the songs.

The Great Irish Songbook encompasses everything from lovelorn ballads to traditional dance music to songs customarily sung at funerals, its moods continually shifting from longing to joy to delicately rendered heartache.

Within its first few tracks alone, The Great Irish Songbook shows the extraordinary scope of the album and the musicianship behind it. On “There’s Whisky in the Jar,” Nashville-based bluegrass band The SteelDrivers channel their freewheeling energy into one of the most widely performed traditional Irish tunes of all time (recorded by everyone from Thin Lizzy to Metallica to Jerry Garcia).

Poetry also infuses much of The Great Irish Songbook, such as on the Kate Rusby-sung rendition of “The Sally Gardens” (a W.B. Yeats-penned serenade) and the D.K. Gavan-authored “Rocky Road to Dublin,” a 19th-century story-song delivered with unabashed brio by famed Irish actor and part-time fiddle player Brendan Gleeson. Meanwhile, “On Raglan Road” transforms Patrick Kavanagh’s lovesick verse into a moment of sublime melancholy, thanks in no small part to the tender tenor of country star Vince Gill.

One of the two newly written pieces on The Great Irish Songbook has Steve Earle accompanying Dervish for a wistful yet rousing version of “The Galway Shawl,” closing out the track with a full-hearted sing-along.

Through the years, Dervish have toured the globe and shared stages with the likes of James Brown, Neil Young, and Sting, becoming the first Irish band ever to play Rock in Rio (the world’s most massive music festival), and steadily making their name as one of the foremost purveyors of Irish folk music.

As they approach their 30th anniversary, Dervish again prove the enduring significance of even the most timeworn songs. And in a way not unlike the folk revival of the 1960s, much of The Great Irish Songbook celebrates a spirit of togetherness, with a conviction that’s gracefully understated but powerfully felt. For Dervish, that sense of community and connection is both an ideal takeaway for the album and the driving force of its creation.

Accordionist Shane Mitchell, a founding member of the band, noted, “With this record we brought in people from genres sometimes totally unrelated to what we do, but still found a way to create some beautiful music together.” He reflects, “I think that’s an incredibly important thing to consider in life as well, especially now: everyone can find a way to collaborate, even if you’re coming from what feels like completely different places.”

In the coming weeks, Dervish will announce full details of The Great Irish Songbook Live, a show that will begin touring internationally in late 2019 and will feature guests from the album.

Finale is the concluding music video and single offering prior to the debut album release from Barry Wilson.

The piece, written and arranged by Barry Wilson, is a dark ballad of sorts combining rich orchestration between a full band, string section and brass section, interwoven to create a unique sound with strong emotional resonance both lyrically and musically.

An impossible-to-pigeon-hole sonic experience with captivating lyrics questions the diluted nature of our relationships with others and the world as we strive to create the best versions of ourselves online while sacrificing our own and others genuine happiness.

The video, directed and edited by Cork-based videographers Isla Media, reflects a relationship in crisis and how living in denial of the breakdown further poisons the well.

Finale features the breathtaking voice of Sara Ryan; an award-winning Irish songwriter who has lent her immense talents to Barry Wilsons project before on their collaboration Starlight released last year.

The shortlist for this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize, Irish Album of the Year 2018, in association with IMRO & IRMA, was announced today on RTÉ 2FM’s Tracy Clifford Show by Tony Clayton-Lea, chairman of the judging panel. The shortlist is as follows:

The Academic – Tales From The Backseat (ROOM6 Records)

Delorentos – True Surrender (Delo Records)

Just Mustard – Wednesday (Pizza Pizza Records)

Kojaque – Deli Daydreams (Soft Boy Records)

O Emperor – Jason (Big Skin Records)

Lisa O’Neill – Heard A Long Gone Song (River Lea Recordings)

Saint Sister – Shape Of Silence (self released)

Rejjie Snow – Dear Annie (BMG)

Villagers – The Art Of Pretending To Swim (Domino Recording Co)

Wyvern Lingo – Wyvern Lingo (Ruby Works)

As part of RTÉ’s continued commitment to promoting Irish music, RTÉ 2FM celebrates the announcement of the shortlist across its schedule throughout the day with All Irish Music All Day from 6am to midnight. Dave Fanning will also chat to Tony Clayton-Lea about the album shortlist on his weekend show this Saturday from 9.00 – 11.00am on RTÉ 2FM.

The winning album will be announced at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize live event, held inVicar Street, Dublin onThursday 7thMarch and broadcast live on RTÉ 2FM in a special four-hour extended show from 7-11pm. A special television programme of the event will be broadcast shortly afterwards on RTÉ2.

The 14th annual RTÉ Choice Music Prize will once again celebrate the best in Irish recorded music. The Prize has become one of the music industry highlights of the year since its inception in 2005. The Irish Album of the Year award is chosen from a shortlist of ten albums by a panel of twelve Irish music media professionals and industry experts.

RAAP and Culture Ireland are also official project partners of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize.

Culture Ireland will fund the attendance of influential overseas Industry executives to attend the RTE Choice Music Prize Live Event on March 7th. First Music Contact (FMC), as part of their international profiling activity, will again advise on the selection of overseas delegates and oversee their integration into the individual mentoring sessions with the artists and the conference.

This year RTÉ Choice Music Prize also partnered with Yangaroo Music Ireland who have provided all eligible artists with a simple, free method of instant delivery of a digital copy of their eligible album directly to the Irish Album of the Year judging panel. Yangaroo Music Ireland (http://www.yangaroomusic.ie) offer a professional digital delivery service for Labels and Artists to deliver their new music releases instantly to media, venues, festivals and promoters in Ireland.

RTÉ Choice Music Prize “Conversations” will return and take place on the 7th.

Tickets for the Choice Music Prize live event are on sale now from all Ticketmaster outlets and from http://www.ticketmaster.ie priced €28.00 including booking fee.

Dublin art-punks Silverbacks have impressed with latest single ‘Just In The Band’, produced by Girl Band’s Daniel Fox and released through their own PK Miami Records. Today, they reveal a live video for the track after Clash described it as “an incisive, intense, pulsating performance, reminiscent of everyone from Gang Of Four to Fugazi and The Fall.”

Irish art punks Silverbacks delve into themes of false idolatry and deeper connection in their latest track. Produced by Daniel Fox from fellow Dubliners Girl Band, ‘Just In The Band’ carries the same nagging unease as previous single ‘Dunkirk’ with taut drums and unrelenting bass underpinning seasick guitar arps and Daniel O’Kelly’s blunt commentary on the ‘problems down the back’. Feedback soaked and frazzled, it sees the band step further away from their indie roots and more into the groove – if the groove covered itself in petrol and dared you to light the match.

Silverbacks
are a
thrilling prospect, delivering their own louche take on NYC-indebted
rock: slack enough for the tastemakers while also mining the gems of a
pop vein, catching the ears of those with a taste for a good hook. Now a
full-fledged five piece after graduating from the bedroom project of
songwriting brothers Kilian and Daniel O’Kelly, they ply their trade
with as much emphasis on the dry humour running through Daniel’s lyrics
as the propulsive, triple guitar-led onslaught in their music.

Three up and coming artists collaborated as part of Three’s #MadebyMusic initiative

Live performance recorded at Saint Sister’s Olympia Theatre show

Tuesday, 4th December:Saint Sister, Kormac & Jafaris
have released a video for their collaboration of ‘Causing Trouble’.Recorded
at Saint Sister’s recent headline show, the video captures the unique
performance of the hit song in the stunning surroundings of one of
Dublin’s most famous venues, the Olympia Theatre.

This summer all three artists collaborated with
Three for its #MadebyMusic
initiative with each creating a visually stunning music video for one
of their songs. ‘Made
by Music’ celebrates and recognises the power of music to unite people
and create lasting connections, and with the release of this unique take
on Saint Sister’s ‘Causing Trouble’ these artists have made the
ultimate music connection.

An
organic music connection evolved when the three artists came together
to perform this truly unique version of the Saint Sister tract at the
exclusive launch of the campaign. Each artist brought
their distinct style to the popular song creating a really innovative
sound.

The
overwhelming positive response to this once-off musical collaboration
has led to the artists preforming the track live on national radio and
at leading Irish festival, Electric Picnic. Most recently,
Saint Sister invited Kormac and Jafaris to join them on stage at their
first headline show in the Olympia Theatre. A venue which has played
host to many amazing performances, the surprise collaboration brought
the audience to their feet, receiving a rapturous
ovation from the crowd in attendance.

The
first of its kind, ‘Made by Music’ is an innovative move from Three to
team up with three emerging Irish artists, each with very different
music styles, with the aim of helping them to spread their
talent to new audiences, the success of which can be seen in the
incredible performance of the videos on YouTube, collectively amassing
over 6 million views.

Bell X1to play Galway International Arts FestivalIrish rock band to play Heineken Big Top at GIAF 2019

Tuesday 27 November

Galway International Arts Festival and Róisín Dubh are delighted to announce the return of Bell X1 to the Galway International Arts Festival in 2019.

The Irish rock band, who played a sold-out gig at the festival in
2016 following one of the most memorable concerts in festival history in
2011, will play the Heineken Big Top on Friday 19 July, 2019.

Bell X1 are one of Ireland’s most popular bands, second only
to U2 in terms of radio play and, according to Billboard, the second
biggest live performers.

The band has also ticked off every possible album type on the list,
from the big major label Flash Harry recording session in London town,
to the experimental, to the DIY.

They’ve done albums as a five-piece, as a four piece and as a three
piece. They’ve mixed up their harmonic and melodic bittersweet leanings
with scratchy electronic signals to see what would happen.

That experimentation has been recognized and rewarded, with four of
their albums nominated for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the
Year and three debuting at #1 on the Irish Album Charts.

Following a hugely successful 2015 that included a sell-out acoustic
tour of Ireland, and playing support to Ed Sheeran at Croke Park, the
band returned to the studio to record their 7th album.

2016’s Arms is a Bell X1 album in name and breeding, but
which sounds like nothing else in their canon. The depth and width, the
colours and shades, are familiar, but there’s a new space and sense to
the songs which speaks volumes about what the band have achieved.

In what is sure to be one of the best live gigs of the festival, the
crowd can expect to hear hits from their canon of critically-acclaimed
albums, which include ‘Rocky Took a Lover’, ‘The Great Defector’, ‘The
End is Nigh’ and ‘Flame’ amongst others.

Bell X1 will play the Heineken Big Top as part of Galway International Arts Festival 2019 on Friday 19 July. Tickets for Bell X1 go on sale on Friday 7 December 2018 at 9am, priced at €35, from www.giaf.ie and roisindubh.net.

Galway International Arts Festival 2019 takes place from 15-28 July
2019, with more acts set to be announced in the coming weeks. GIAF
recently announced that Indie rock band Two Door Cinema Clubwill play the Heineken Big Top on Friday 26 July.

Galway International Arts Festival would like to acknowledge the
support of its principal funding agencies the Arts Council and Fáilte
Ireland, its Drinks Partner Heineken and Education Partner NUI Galway.